Ever wonder what it feels like to be a Godzilla-sized monster traipsing around the skyscrapers of New York City? Well, with iOS 11 now you can.
Apple has subtly added a cool new virtual reality mode in Apple Maps with the release of iOS 11 that lets users explore 3D models of some of the world’s most popular cities. The new feature is powered by Apple’s new ARKit, allowing you to walk around your house and tilt your phone camera around to visit different parts of the city.
Watch the crazy new feature in action:
So.. Apple put an awesome VR mode in Apple Maps (powered by ARKit) and didn’t even talk about it in the Keynote ? Wow pic.twitter.com/2ZBBXj4NYM
— Félix Lapalme (@lap_felix) June 27, 2017
Apple Maps gets VR
Apple Maps’ VR mode is only available on iOS devices with an A9 processor or better (iPhone SE, 6s, 6s Plus, 7 and 7 Plus). It’s similar to the Flyover mode that Apple introduced back with iOS 6, only it makes the experience even more immersive.
To access the feature, search for a large metropolitan area in Maps like New York City or San Francisco, then tap the Flyover option. From there you can move forward and backward or side to side in your room to roam the map. The VR mode is a bit slow and buggy right now in iOS 11 beta 2, but hopefully it’ll be super smooth when it launches this fall.
